When he got his ADHD diagnosis at age 30, the first thought Andrew Gardner (https://www.agardner.com/about) had was, "Okay, now what? I'm still an idiot."

That negative voice had been with him his entire teaching career, driving him to work 80-90 hour weeks trying to prove he wasn't failing at the basics everyone else seemed to handle easily.

In this conversation, Andrew walks us through what it's actually like to teach with ADHD. He shares the invisible struggles no one could see from the outside, the white-knuckling through administrative tasks, the depression that came from years of that critical inner voice telling him he couldn't do basic things that weren't actually that hard … and eventually, the reframing that changed everything.

Andrew now has over 25 years experience innovating in teaching, learning, facilitation, technology and management. He's taught students from preschool through post-graduate at Yale, Columbia, NYU, and Harvard, advising on and evangelizing the use of technology to help students and teachers become future-ready. He spent over a decade building and leading a professional learning department, certification program, and teacher community at BrainPOP (where he and I were coworkers!)

Since then, Andrew has combined his passion for organizational alignment with his foundation in constructivist teaching and learning into coaching leaders, professionals, and parents. As an ADHD coach, Andrew is especially attentive to supporting the needs and strengths of neurodiverse clientele. Andrew shares how ADHD shows up differently in the classroom (spoiler: "attending to everything all at once" has some serious superpowers), the link between undiagnosed ADHD and depression in adults, and what it takes to start seeing neurodivergence as a strength rather than something to overcome. Andrew also shares practical insights on what schools could do differently, how to help students with ADHD build metacognitive awareness, and why getting on the balcony to observe your own thoughts might be the most important skill for managing ADHD as an adult.

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

"If AI can write my essay in 30 seconds, why should I spend 30 minutes doing it myself?" I believe students asking this question deserve a thoughtful response ... or even better, an invitation to think critically about their own values and personal philosophy around artificial intelligence.

In this episode, I'm offering some tools to help you facilitate these conversations with students, breaking down the neuroscience of why writing matters in ways AI can't replicate. We'll explore three core principles:

1) Writing is brain-building: When students write, they create neural pathways through neuroplasticity. Every time they struggle to find the right word or rewrite a sentence, they're strengthening cognitive infrastructure they'll use for life. When AI does the writing, those pathways never form.

2) Writing is thinking: Writing isn't just a way to show your thinking—it IS the thinking itself. The act of translating thoughts into words forces a level of clarity that thinking alone doesn't require.

3) Writing is uniquely human: Students are still discovering who they are as thinkers and writers. They haven't written enough to find their unique voice yet. When they default to AI, they skip the process of discovering their authentic perspective.

I also address the question teachers hear constantly: "Why can adults use AI but students can't?" The answer lies in understanding the critical window of adolescent brain development and why students need to build these skills before they can effectively use AI as a tool.

If you're looking for language to help students understand what they're losing when they default to AI—and a framework for teaching them why their thinking and voice matter—this episode is for you.

Resources mentioned: "Stay Human: Protect Your Brain Power in an AI World" 3 lesson mini unit https://shop.truthforteachers.com/products/ai-literacy-lessons-teaching-students-why-writing-and-thinking-matter

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

Growing up, every report card comment and parent conference involved my teachers expressing some version of the following:

• "Angela is smart, but not working to her potential."
• "Angela needs to focus and apply herself."
• "Angela is a capable student but does not put forth effort."
• "Angela could do the work if she wanted to but she appears lazy and unmotivated."

I shared a little of this story a few years back, and how I was labeled as gifted at first, and then diagnosed with a learning disability in math: EP163: I was a disengaged student who nearly failed high school For years, I believed something was fundamentally wrong with the wiring in my brain. Despite everything I'd accomplished, I felt inconsistent, unfocused, and unable to just ... do the thing like everyone else seemed to. Normal adulting tasks felt like they required herculean effort.

It took decades to understand: I'm not lazy. I'm neurodivergent. And that changes everything.

In this episode, I'm sharing my journey of understanding my brain, from my bipolar diagnosis in my early 20s to discovering CBT and mindset work, to finally creating the resource I wish I'd had all along.

I'll tell you about Motivation Lab, a new coaching app I've built that translates the neuroscience principles from my Finding Flow curriculum into a format for teens, young adults, and anyone who's ever felt like traditional productivity systems just don't work for their brain.

This is the story of why I created Motivation Lab, who it's really for (hint: maybe not you, but possibly someone you care about), and why I'm asking for your help in getting it to the people who need it most.

If you've ever wondered why consistency is so hard, why motivation feels unpredictable, or why no single productivity system works for everyone, I think you'll relate to what I'm sharing.

Check out Motivation Lab here: studio.com/motivationlab/

Read or share the blog post.

The first official podcast ep of 2026 will be out on January 11th. Thank you for listening to this interlude / announcement!

It's the final episode of the 2025 season, and I want to leave you with something meaningful. I'm sharing some personal thoughts as I prepare to step away for my December internet sabbatical. I'm thinking deeply about alignment, presence, and what it means to move forward with clarity and purpose.

If you've been feeling the tension between what you have to do and what you're called to do … this episode might resonate.

Key highlights:

• Why I'm shifting directions in 2026 to focus on deeper connections with educators (and serving more than just folks in K-12)
• How my personal life has come into greater alignment after moving and establishing new daily practices
• My launch of teacher retreats after years of dreaming and planning (you're invited!)
• An introduction to Due Season Press, my new website showcasing retreats, retreat/event planning services, editing and publishing support for authors, and more
• Opportunities for schools and districts to host custom retreat experiences
• Reflective questions to help you find your own alignment and mission heading into 2026

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

This episode is brought to you by MiaTiagoBooks.com.

P.S. If you'll miss having new episodes to listen to from now until January, here's a way to work back through the archives without having to scroll endlessly through episode titles. I have a set of recommended Truth for Teachers playlists you can access. They're a careful curation of the episodes I'm most proud of—and that I think will help you most—from my ten years of podcasting.

I've organized the playlists around four topics:

• The Encouragement Playlist, if you need a boost of inspiration and motivation
• The Productivity Playlist, if you want practical strategies for time management and getting things done
• The Student Engagement Playlist, if you want tools for building relationships with students and enhancing your lessons
• The Greatest Hits Playlist, which covers a wide variety of topics that have been really popular over the years but aren't necessarily connected to any larger theme. The Greatest Hits playlist offers a really nice variety of episodes.

If you're a longtime listener and accessed one of these playlists a while back, know that I updated them this month so they include newer episodes, too.

Go to TruthforTeachers.com/playlists and enter your email address to receive the playlist you want. I'll send you a PDF with a description of each episode, a link to its blog post/transcript, and a link to the MP3 file for listening. It also shares some special bonuses and other related resources I think you might like.

"The adults in the building need healing just as much as the kids do. Self-compassion isn't soft. It's the most radical act of self-preservation an educator can practice." That's a quote from my guest in this episode, Marisol Quevedo Rerucha. She's the author of Beyond the Surface of Restorative Practices and the CEO of Heartset Consulting Group. A former teacher, principal, and district leader, she now supports individuals, communities, and systems in building high-trust, equity-centered spaces.

Together, Marisol and I explore what a restorative way of being looks like, how to build a classroom culture rooted in belonging and accountability, and why self-compassion is a foundational part of this work. Marisol also shares her personal story of healing, offers real classroom examples, and closes with an unforgettable metaphor about facing life's hardest moments with courage and community.

In this powerful conversation, Marisol Revucha shares why so many educators feel disillusioned with restorative practices and what needs to shift for true transformation to occur. Whether your school is fully immersed in restorative practices or you're just starting to explore what it means, this conversation offers both heart and strategy. You'll walk away with a clearer vision for what's possible—not just for your students, but for yourself.

Topics include:

• Why restorative justice often fails in schools
• How to build a culture of repair and accountability
• The role of self-compassion in restorative work
• Real-time responses when students act out
• Restorative practices for staff—not just students
• "Being the buffalo": facing the storm together

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

This episode is brought to you by MiaTiagoBooks.com.

Metacognition — "thinking about your thinking" — is one of the most powerful skills we can teach students, and it doesn't require adding anything new to your already packed schedule. In this episode, you'll learn four simple, one-minute routines you can weave into your daily classroom flow to help students notice, analyze, and adjust their own thinking.

We'll explore:

How to use attention checks so students can redirect focus in the moment

Why brain break signals teach learners to connect physical energy with mental clarity (and how to manage them without chaos)

How mistake moments reframe errors as valuable information

A fresh take on end-of-day brain checks that builds awareness of learning strategies, not just content recall

Whether you teach kindergarteners or high school seniors, you'll walk away with concrete ideas for creating a classroom culture where students take ownership of their learning process.

Plus, I'll share how my Finding Flow Solutions K–12 curriculum can give you ready-made, no-prep lessons to teach these skills — and where to grab your free downloadable sample lesson.

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

This episide is brought to you by Listenwise and MiaTiagoBooks.com.

"Giving kids, and yourself, language to wrap around the idea that we have an inner leader (our kindest, best self) is transformative."

Join me as I talk with Lily Howard Scott, a NYC-based parent, educator, and author, who shares insights from her book The Words That Shape Us: The Science-Based Power of Teacher Language.

We're exploring how our internal self-talk shapes our perceptions of students and ourselves, and how intentional language can transform classroom culture. Lily shares practical strategies for helping students of all ages:

• Notice and separate from their thoughts and feelings ("feelings as visitors")
• Understand they are always good inside, even when they make a bad choice
• Access their wisest self to respond thoughtfully instead of reacting automatically

Lily also introduces tools like "outer shells and inner swirls" to help students notice assumptions and guide interactions in more mindful, empowering ways.

Whether you're looking to improve classroom culture, support student self-reflection, or strengthen your own teacher mindset, this episode offers actionable strategies and inspiring reminders about the words we choose and the impact they have.

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

How much effort is enough—for you and your students?

In this episode, I'm weaving together three listener questions about navigating effort, expectations, and balance. We'll explore how to recognize whether you lean more toward Type A (overextending) or Type B (holding back) tendencies, and how to make small, mindful adjustments so you're not burning out—or stagnating.

You'll hear practical advice for:

• Reworking your expectations of yourself during seasons of low energy, burnout, or chronic illness.
• Knowing when to give yourself permission to do less, and when to gently push yourself to do more.
• Supporting students who either overextend or under-extend themselves without trying to individualize every message for every learner.

Listen in for a simple framework you (and your students) can use to calibrate effort in healthier, more sustainable ways.

🔗 Want to submit a question for a future episode? Share it at truthforteachers.com/podcast.

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here..

SCHEDULE CHANGE! I'm partnering with Rocket PD to offer a live-virtual cohort called Unlocking Teacher Productivity starting in late January.

(Originally when this announcement was released, I mentioned October, but we've pushed things back to accomodate a major release in federal funding that won't reach schools until later this fall.)

Unlocking Teacher Productivity isn't a self-paced course you sign up for and maybe forget about. It's a deep-dive, interactive experience where we'll meet every TUESDAY for five 90-minute sessions:

NEW 2026 DATES: JAN 27, FEB 3, 10, 17, 24

7:00-8:30 PM Eastern / 4:00-6:30 Pacific

Here's how it works: each week, we'll meet over Zoom. There will be a mix of my teaching (you'll see my face and slides), short periods for quiet reflection—meaning I'll pause periodically for you to complete exercises so you don't have to do them afterward on your own time—and opportunities for discussion with other educators during the 90-minute session if that's something that appeals to you. I'll also answer questions afterward if you'd like personalized advice.

We're going to cover practical systems and strategies to help you get control over your time and your work. You'll learn how to:

• Get your email under control once and for all.

• Organize your digital files so you can actually find what you need.

• Build a to-do list system that doesn't live in your brain 24/7.

• Plan lessons in advance in a way that's flexible and responsive to your students—no more scrambling the night before.

• Prioritize high-impact work so you can spend less time on busywork and more time on what really matters for learning.

• Explore time-blocking, AI tools, productivity for students, and more.

Now, if you've taken my 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Full Year course, yes—there's some overlap in concepts, like the target number planner. But this cohort is live and interactive, rather than self-paced, and has built-in accountability because we meet each week and check in to see how the strategies are working for you. And, it's only a five-week commitment.

I'll give a variety of options for "homework" between sessions: stuff you can just reflect on if that's all you have time for, easy actionable steps to try out, and deep dives if you really want to get results. Regardless of which option you choose, you'll have time each week to reflect, discuss how to apply what you're learning, and report back the next week. It's accountability in the best sense—you're not just consuming information; you're actively putting it into practice.

Remember, you don't have to attend every live session. You'll get recordings of every session plus a downloadable workbook. Templates, systems, and strategies are all included—it's ready to implement immediately.

Plus, you'll receive a nationally recognized PD certificate for CEUs.

This cohort is designed to be practical and doable: real solutions that will stick with you for your whole K-12 teaching career, no matter what or where you teach in the future.

This is only offered once per year, so if you've been waiting for a chance to finally get your teaching life organized, to feel on top of your time, and to plan ahead without burnout—this is it.

Spaces are limited. Sign up below for my cohort or others happening this fall, winter, and spring: https://rocketpd.com/cohorts/unlocking-teacher-productivity-with-angela-watson/

Engagement is not the same as "fun." It's the foundation for meaningful and lasting learning.

Join me as I talk with Katie Powell, author of Boredom Busters: Transform Worksheets, Lectures, and Grading into Engaging, Meaningful Learning Experiences. Katie shares simple yet powerful strategies that help teachers transform their classrooms into spaces where students thrive. Whether you're trying to bring more fun into your lessons, address curriculum pressures, or manage student behavior during engaging activities, Katie's practical advice can help.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why engagement is essential for learning and how it primes the brain for retention.
• Simple strategies like "deploying worksheets differently" to make learning more interactive.
• How movement, humor, and creative activities reduce behavioral issues and improve focus.
• How to balance the demands of standardized curriculum pacing with engaging strategies.
• Practical ways to manage transitions and behavior during high-energy activities.
• How engagement fosters a sense of belonging, safety, and fun in the classroom.
• The value of empowering students to understand their own learning needs and self-regulation strategies.
• How to start with small, manageable shifts to make your teaching more engaging and effective.

Our conversation is packed with practical tips and real-world insights to help you make learning fun, meaningful, and memorable.

Book link: https://amzn.to/3JamUUJ Website: teachbeyondthedesk.com

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.